Test system for checking electronic connections of components with a printed circuit board and printed circuit board

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10989766-B2
Application number	US-201716321885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2017
Priority date	Aug 1, 2016
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A test system for checking electrical connections, especially solder connections, between electronic components with a circuit board to be checked, characterized in that the test system includes a communication interface with at least three electrically-conductive contact tips, which by contact with a contacting arrangement on the circuit board having a number of contacting locations enable a data exchange with a data memory and/or a communication module of a circuit board, wherein the data exchange occurs according to a communication protocol.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A test system for checking electrical solder connections between electronic components on a circuit board, comprising:
a communication interface including:
a housing section having a longitudinal axis and a terminal end;
at least three electrically-conductive contact tips protruding from the terminal end of the housing section and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the housing section; and
a centering plug protruding from the terminal end of the housing section with a length which is longer than a length with which the at least three contact tips protrude from the terminal end of the housing section,
wherein the at least three contact tips are disposed in an array arrangement, wherein at least one of the at least three contact tips in the array arrangement has a same separation from at least two neighboring contact tips,
wherein the centering plug is also disposed in the array arrangement,
wherein the at least three contact tips are embodied to contact a contacting arrangement on the circuit board having a number of contacting locations,
wherein the at least three contact tips are embodied to enable a data exchange with a data memory and/or a communication module of the circuit board, and
wherein the communication interface is configured to exchange data with the data memory and the communication interface of the circuit board according to a communication protocol.

2. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a data supply to the circuit board occurs via at least a first contact tip of the at least three contact tips.

3. The test system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a data return from the circuit board occurs via at least a second contact tip of the at least three contact tips.

4. The test system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a reference potential is applied to at least a third contact tip of the at least three contact tips.

5. The test system as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the communication interface includes at least four electrically conductive contact tips,
wherein a differential data supply to the circuit board occurs via at least two of the at least four contact tips, and
wherein a differential data return from the circuit board occurs via at least two other of the at least four contact tips.

6. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least three contact tips are all of a same length.

7. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least three contact tips are spring biased such that a pushing action on the at least three contact tips causes the at least three contact tips to partially retract into the housing section.

8. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least three contact tips can be held either in a retracted position or in an extended position, wherein a contact tip in the retracted position protrudes a lesser length from the end face of the housing section than a contact tip in the extended position, and wherein the retracted contact tip is kept in the retracted position by a releasable holding apparatus.

9. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing,
wherein the communication interface is arranged movably in at least one direction in the housing such that the at least three contact tips are guidable to a contacting location of a conductive trace of the circuit board.

10. The test system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the communication interface is connected fixedly or with a cable to a test module that is arranged movably in at least two spatial directions in the housing of the test system.

11. The test system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the test module includes a data memory and/or a communication chip, wherein a plurality of communication protocols are stored in the data memory and/or the communication chip, and wherein the test module further includes a processor and/or a logic chip for selecting at least one communication protocol.

12. The test system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the test module includes a transformer module with a transformer, with which a galvanic isolation of the communication module on the circuit board is implemented and a matching in the sense of an Ethernet connection is assured independently of whether with the communication module a further electrical connection to an Ethernet socket is present or not.

13. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the communication interface includes at least nine contact tips.

14. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the centering plug is spring biased and preferably is movable perpendicularly to the end face under action of force.

15. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least three contact tips are arranged axi-symmetrically to the centering plug.

16. The test system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the array arrangement of the at least three contact tips of the communication interface is seated rotatably around the longitudinal axis of the housing section.

Assignees

• Flowtec Ag

Inventors

• Böhler Thomas
• Brudermann Matthias
• Werle Christoph
• Wucher Markus
• Kollmer Daniel
• Adam Ludovic

Classifications

• G01R31/71 Primary

  Testing of solder joints · CPC title

• G01R31/28

  Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer ({EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002;} testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers {or computer components} G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 {; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00}) · CPC title

• H04L25/0266

  Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling · CPC title

• G01R31/2818 Primary

  using test structures on, or modifications of, the card under test, made for the purpose of testing, e.g. additional components or connectors (G01R31/2805 takes precedence; printed circuits having, e.g. symbols, test patterns or visualisation means H05K1/0266) · CPC title

• H04L69/18

  Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols · CPC title